Gostkowski makes 'em all: 'It's nice that I got a clean game'

Gostkowski makes 'em all: 'It's nice that I got a clean game'

Stephen Gostkowski had a good day. It's probably been a few weeks since he felt that way leaving a football game.

After missing three field goals between Weeks 2 and 5 and consecutive extra points in Weeks 6 and 7, Gostkowski said, "I stink right now." But on Sunday, in a 41-25 win at Buffalo, in rainy and windy conditions, Gostkowski made all seven kicks he attempted -- two field goals and five extra points -- and may have felt as though he had a weight lifted off of his shoulders.

If he did, he wouldn't admit it to Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran after the game.

"I don't think like that," Gostkowski said when asked if he felt like he "needed" the 51-yarder he kicked at the end of the first half. "I try to make every kick I can. It's nice that I got a clean game."

Gostkowski did acknowledge that the conditions in Orchard Park were less than ideal on Sunday afternoon. It rained throughout, and the wind, as it often does at New Era Field, was swirling. The 51-yarder was blown in two different directions before skidding off the uprights and through.

"Buffalo's a tough place to kick," he said. "There's a lot of wind all the time. But that's what we deal with on a daily basis so luckily we get good practice at it."

When asked about Gostkowski's performance after the game, which has been almost a weekly ritual this season, Belichick once again threw his support behind the Patriots kicker who's in his 11th season.

"Steve’s one of the best kickers in the league," Belichick said. "We have a lot of confidence in him. When we need a kick, there’s nobody better to send out there than him. Nobody better to send out than Steve. He's another mentally-tough guy."

The Pats signed McClellin to a three-year deal prior to the 2016 season, but that was the only season in which he played for the team. McClellin missed all of last season due to injury. Prior to coming to New England, McClellin played four seasons with the Bears, who chose him 19th overall in 2012.

McClellin's biggest contribution with the Pats came when he blocked a Justin Tucker kick in Week 14 of the 2016 season against the Ravens.